In Ein Wiener Salon a few months ago Felix was struggling to describe – in English – the dish on the menu. The best he could do was ‘Woolly Pig’. It might have indeed been pig – but was thankfully devoid of wool - and was wonderful.

Lakeviewer,if you click on the picture you will be taken to the National Park's webpage:

"The National Park combines habitat management work with the preservation of traditional domestic animals and uses traditional and endangered species on its pasture land. Hungarian longhorns (Grey cattle), Water buffalos, White donkeys and Mangalitza-pigs were very common in past centuries. Breeding these species in National Parks and zoos is an important contribution for preserving them. The Przewalski's Horses graze here thanks to the co-operation between the National Park and the Vienna Zoo."

Not the typical sort seen on Merisi's pages, but charming nontheless. I've never seen a woolly pig before. I think they would do well in the cold winters of eastern Canada, in their natural woollen underwear.

More about the Wooly Pig (Mangalitza or Mangalitsa) can be learned here:An Old Breed of Hungarian Pig Is Back in Favor ("Mangalitsas were bred for their lard on the Hungarian farms of Archduke Joseph in the 1830s. Herds shrank with the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ..." click on the link to read the New York Times article by Michael S. Sanders).

Margaret,the meat may be more expensive,but these pigs have a much longer and healthier life than those who end up on supermarket shelves.The taste is a world of difference too!I don't think the farmers get rich(er), but we as a consumer have more choices, quality versus quantity, and animals that have a better life.

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About Merisi's Vienna

I seek to capture the beauty that is present in every day, and there is inevitably so much more than I could ever expect to grasp.

National Geographic TravelerAbout Merisi's: "Each entry features a collection of photos from Merisi's excursions around town. This is a great place to start if you are looking for some local perspective."

Spotted by Locals
Merisi’s blog is a venture through the best photos of the Viennese landscape of a local: the Viennese dogs, the spring, and especially the cafes!
If you live in Vienna, this blog is gonna make you feel like you’re missing out on something and if you’ve been there, you’ll definitely wish you never left!